In the face of globalization many states have been forced to adapt to the new challenges facing them in an ever more open market. The fact that markets increasingly escape the bounds of national economies and interact in international perspectives is apparent for example in the fields of research, development and manufacturing activities. These developments towards internationalization of economic and social policies and institutions lead in many cases to policies that adapt regulation to new international challenges or in other cases deregulate markets in a process of liberalization especially in the fields of labor and financial markets as well as training of workers, wage bargaining and education. Analyzing these processes and the impact of such policy changes on the political economies, societies and institutional frameworks has been the focus of research in both economics and political science – namely the Institutionalist branches. The applicability of the VoC framework to explain institutional change has since come under criticism for oversimplifying the institutional reality and falling short of capturing the complexities of real-world changes in national political economies with their dichotomous separation into LMEs and CMEs. Hall and Thelen (2009) have however proposed an extension to the VoC framework to analyze institutional change in a more meaningful way by outlining modes of change along the assumption of institutional stability in accordance with the VoC framework.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Institutional Terrain and Institutional Stability
- Institutional Change
- Three Routes to Institutional Change
- Temporary Employment in Germany
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This work aims to investigate the applicability of the Varieties of Capitalism (VoC) framework to explain institutional change. It does so by examining the introduction of temporary work legislation in Germany. The work analyzes how this change aligns with the assumptions of institutional stability within the VoC framework, specifically considering Germany's position as a coordinated market economy (CME).
- Institutional stability and the VoC framework
- The dynamics of institutional change
- The role of actors in shaping institutional change
- The specific case of temporary work legislation in Germany
- The impact of institutional change on political economies
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the concept of institutional change in response to globalization, highlighting the challenges faced by national economies in an increasingly interconnected market. It introduces the Varieties of Capitalism (VoC) framework as a tool for analyzing differences and similarities between national economies.
- Institutional Terrain and Institutional Stability: This chapter outlines the assumptions and understanding of institutions within the VoC framework, differentiating between formal and informal institutions. It emphasizes the role of institutions as both constraints and facilitators for actors within a political economy, highlighting the concept of institutional stability based on actors' pursuit of self-interest.
- Institutional Change: This chapter explores the agents and impetus for institutional change, focusing on the roles of both governments and firms as actors shaping the institutional landscape. It highlights the dynamic interplay between different pressures and preferences of these actors in driving institutional change.
- Three Routes to Institutional Change: This chapter delves into three distinct routes to institutional change within the VoC framework: reform, defection, and reinterpretation. It discusses the dynamic processes and actors involved in each route, highlighting the complexities of achieving institutional change through these mechanisms.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The core keywords of this work encompass the concepts of institutional change, varieties of capitalism, coordinated market economies, temporary employment, and the political economy of Germany. The text examines the interplay between these elements and their implications for understanding the nature and dynamics of institutional change in a contemporary globalized context.
- Quote paper
- Christian Horch (Author), 2014, Institutional Change in Varieties of Capitalism. Temporary Employment in Germany, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/432045
